Jake PopistWe have all seen our share of great movies — probably dozens of times — such as The Godfather, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings: ROTK, Jurassic Park, and more recently, flicks like Inception and Black Panther. However, even if you are a film aficionado, there is a good chance that you have overlooked some amazing screen gems.
So, get some popcorn on the stove, click over the Netflix, and get ready to be amazed, impressed, elevated and perhaps even transformed by all 3 of the following glorious, but lesser-known movies (listed in no particular order).
- The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)
It’s hard to imagine that any movie starring Brad Pitt could fly under the radar. But back in 2007, a lot of movie-goers were spending their time and money watching flicks like No Country for Old Men, There Will be Blood, and the Bourne Ultimatum. There just wasn’t much bandwidth left for a film with an absurdly long title like The Assassination of Jessie Games by the Coward Rob Ford. However, don’t judge this movie by its awful title. It’s a gripping tale of the complex love-hate relationship between infamous outlaw Jesse James (Brad Pitt) and a Wild West fanboy Robert Ford (Casey Affleck). The ending is especially powerful and will have you hitting “rewatch”.
- The Fisher King (1991)
Most movie fans know Jeff Daniels from his spectacular performances as The Dude in The Big Lebowski (that rug really held the room together, didn’t it?), and his Oscar-winning role in Crazy Heart. However, back in 1991 Daniels teamed up with the late Robin Williams to star in a movie that somehow managed to combine whimsy and fantasy with despair, pain and death: The Fisher King. It will have you laughing and crying; and maybe both at the same time. In addition, watch for Mercedes Ruhl as Jeff Daniels’ long-suffering girlfriend. Her fantastic performance likely inspired Marisa Tomei’s Oscar-winning role in My Cousin Vinny.
- The Red Violin (1998)
The Red Violin tells the enthralling tale of an antique violin crafted in the late 17th century as it travels over multiple continents, and touches the lives of generations of people over a span of three centuries. The red violin owes its color and name from the fact that its creator painted it with his deceased wife’s blood, in order to keep her memory alive. Don’t get turned off if you aren’t a music buff, or if you’re still irked by spending a small fortune on a violin for your kid who desperately wanted to be a virtuoso for about two weeks (pro tip: next time, find a shop that allows you to rent violins!). This movie is a master class in filmmaking, and worth seeing again and again.
Jake Popist
